Scroll

License this image

To license this image or for more information please contact our Licensing team.

We can manage your request more quickly if you include the following information:

Image reference number: XXX
Title and author (if applicable)
Publisher/Producer/Broadcaster
Planned release date
Print run or number of units
Image size and position, example 1/4 page, full screen, front cover, inside
Languages/territorial distribution
Digital rights - format details and license period

Not currently on display at the V&A

Artist/Maker	Unknown
Place of origin	Japan (made)

This length of cotton fabric may once have formed part of a bedding cover, or futonji, created to celebrate a wedding. The motif of a ship's anchor symbolised the desire for stability in the marriage. The anchor image was also used in Izumo, on the Japan Sea coast of western Honshu (the main island of Japan), on nappies given by the child's maternal grandparents. Here the motif was symbolic of longevity, of 'anchoring' one's life. The fabric is now mounted as a decorative scroll.

Object details

Categories	Textiles Wall Coverings
Object type	Scroll
Materials and techniques	Resist-dyed cotton Cotton Resist Dyed
Brief description	Tex, Japan, resist-dyed. Fragment of cotton with free-hand paste decoration, mounted as a scroll, Japan, 1800-1920
Physical description	Fragment of cotton with free-hand paste resist decoration (tsutsugaki) of an anchor, and mounted as a scroll.
Dimensions	Scroll length: 158.5cm Width: 42.5cm Scroll width: 42cm Textile length: 43.4cm Textile width: 30cm Length: 64in Width: 16.75in
Subject depicted	Anchor
Summary	This length of cotton fabric may once have formed part of a bedding cover, or futonji, created to celebrate a wedding. The motif of a ship's anchor symbolised the desire for stability in the marriage. The anchor image was also used in Izumo, on the Japan Sea coast of western Honshu (the main island of Japan), on nappies given by the child's maternal grandparents. Here the motif was symbolic of longevity, of 'anchoring' one's life. The fabric is now mounted as a decorative scroll.
Collection	East Asia Collection
Accession number	T.213-1964

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record created	February 12, 2000
Record URL	https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O23974/scroll-unknown/

Download as: JSON

License this image

Download image

Object details

About this object record

You may also like